What is a maiden race in horse racing?

A maiden is a horse that has yet to win a race, and a maiden race is one open only to those horses. The moment a horse wins, it’s no longer a maiden and graduates to other race types.

Maidens are where many careers begin, so they can feature well-bred, lightly-raced horses whose ability isn’t yet fully exposed. That makes the market — and our ratings — lean more on breeding, trainer and jockey signals and early form than on a long record.